I was wrong about Electric Airplanes…

The Velis Electro has a 24.8kW/h battery capacity. With a US national average electric rate of $.13/kWh it ROUGHLY costs $3.22 to charge the battery from zero. With a flight time of 1 hour, that’s about $3.22 of energy per flight. Sure, there are other costs like depreciation and battery life decreasing, but there is no sticker shock at the “pump”. What are your thoughts on the Velis Electro?

Having flown the Velis Electro also it’s totally new way of managing the the power. Its a dream to fly very rewarding something about it feels more free. I did get a low voltage master caution so had to land got it on camera too.

When watching this video I was jealous over the nice smooth airplane and long unobstructed airport. I learned to fly, first in a Piper Cub, a primitive ancient aircraft fabric covered, tandem seated, weak gas-powered, tail-dragger without flaps. My airport was College Park Maryland, with a short, obstructed runway, having tall high tension electric wires and railroad tracks at one end and a forest on the other. My landings were sometimes comical with me bouncing down the runway and doing ground loops. What I wouldn’t have given to have that Pipistrel and your long unobstructed airport in which to practice and hone my skills.

This is the perfect trainer platform. No real fear of an engine out (im ready for the flame ill get for that), no absurd fuel cost, no burning lead over peoples heads. An hour is plenty of time to do any maneuver and pattern work. They will of course always need a traditional plane for x/c. But the best part is that battery upgrades are so easy to do and you know their capacities will keep growing as they have been.

Great to finally meet you today man! Sun and fun was definitely the place to be today. Love the content!

Maybe they will be upgraded to a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery pack, or in the future to graphene batteries. Flying for one hour is kind of short, but it's a pretty neat little plane.

I earned my career in commercial advertising. In the beginning of the 80's I would go to big ad agencies to talk to them about using computers to make ads. They were sure that it was a fad that would go away

Do you have any more videos planned in the Alpha Trainer? I fly both gliders and LSA Airplanes so love to see it!

The idea of regenerative braking is interesting, which is a plus point not available to other types of planes.

Personally i'm more interested in the Hybrid Pipistrel Panthera. Can't wait to see some footage of that in action. Would also be interesting if its able to charge/regen while using the regular engine for long distance cruising.

I will be very interested when it is a viable cross country plane.

So you can have a controllable electric battery fire? I did not know that...

Wow love the e-plane!

Does this charger port use Chademo? It does not look like CCS. (I have a Nissan Leaf and it takes a J1770 plug as well as Chademo, and that looks exactly like a Chademo plug.)

It will only get cheeper and more effective.

You WERE right at the time. But they are getting better and have just reached the point where they are practical in some cases.

Am flying one tomorrow, down here in NZ

One massive factor is with fuel aircraft, as they burn the fuel, the weight reduces and it makes a massive difference to aircraft range. The electric plane will stay at constant "max fuel" weight for the entire flight.

Employing these aircrafts would cut down the cost of flying unprecedently

From next year onwards, all Pipistrel aircraft will be supported by Textron Aviation, since Textron Aviation acquired the company in April.